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WOW. What a start to the World Cup qualifying campaign for Croatia as they smash 12 goals past Gibraltar and Czechia in their opening two matches. Croatia has taken a strong chokehold on Group L and go into the summer break on a positive note. That being said, who were the outstanding performers for Croatia and how does the Croatiansports.com team want to see the Vatreni come … [Read more...] about Vatreni Player Ratings: First Round of WC2026 Qualifying

The Vatreni face-off against current group-leaders Czechia in Osijek tomorrow at 2:45pm EST. Croatia are coming off a strong 7-0 triumph over minnows Gibraltar, and Czechia are 3/3 in taking down every other team in the group besides Croatia; Gibraltar 4-0, Faroe Islands 2-1 and Montenegro 2-0. The Czechs are also coming off a strong Nations League campaign, topping their group … [Read more...] about This Is How Dalić “Should” Start vs. Czechia Monday

Croatia head to Faro to face off against Gibraltar in their first game of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. Behind the Czechs and Montenegrins by six points, Croatia have some catching up to do, and three points are an absolute necessity coming from this match. Kickoff is Friday June 6th at 2:45pm EST. Zlatko Dalić is looking to qualify the Vatreni to their third … [Read more...] about How Does Croatia Kickstart Their WC Qualifying Campaign vs. Gibraltar?

The first leg of the UEFA Nations League Quarter-Finals kicks off in Split as Croatia host France. It's been a while since our beloved Vatreni have seen the pitch, so how does Dalić balance tactics with the players' recent form heading into this tilt? Does he stick to the three at back formation or is the experiment over? Will scorching hot Ante Budimir lead the line or does … [Read more...] about How Dalić Should Start vs. France

The Vatreni host group-leaders Portugal in Split on Monday at 2:45pm EST in what is now a crucial game for quarter-final qualification. Can Croatia change their woeful form against a Portuguese B-team, having sent Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva and Pedro Neto home? Zlatko Dalić has confirmed he will field a 3-back formation for this crucial encounter, in … [Read more...] about How Croatia Should Lineup vs. Portugal Monday

The international break is back, and that means more Vatreni footy! Croatia travels to Glasgow to face the Scots on Friday, at 2:45pm EST. Last month, Croatia won a gritty come-from-behind match by the score of 2 to 1, with a last minute Scottish equalizer saved by VAR. With a win, Croatia is through to the quarterfinals of the Nations League, but a draw will do should Poland … [Read more...] about How Croatia Should Lineup vs. Scotland Friday

What changes should Dalić make for the Nations League match against Poland in Warsaw Tuesday? Not many. The "3 in the back" defensive line should remain the same. DCC and Šutalo had good games against Scotland and were not at fault for the lone Scottish goal. Although Gvardiol had a disaster of a match, he is our best defender and will rebound quickly. There is never a … [Read more...] about How Croatia Should Line Up Against Poland Tuesday

Croatia edge the Scots at home with the help of VAR after that frustrating equalizer in the 90+5'. After being down 1-0 in the first half, the Vatreni banded together for an equalizer just three minutes later, and a solid second half provided the necessary victory. This game had its ups and downs, but who were Croatia's stand-outs, and disappointments? Dominik Livaković - … [Read more...] about Croatia vs. Scotland — Player Ratings

Croatia returns to Nations League action at 12:00pm EST Saturday October 12th, as they welcome the Scots in Zagreb. Dalić looks to gain three points from a recently struggling Scottish side, and will most likely field a back three due to Stanišić and Juranović injuries. It is an exciting time in Croatian football with Gvardiol, Kovačić, Sučić 1 and 2, and Baturina all in superb … [Read more...] about How Croatia Should Line Up Against Scotland Saturday